Looking for answers to life's questions

Professor French has given me some wonderful tips and encouragement on writing. His kind and generous comments have kept me posting here when I was ready to throw in the towel. It’s like getting an education via blogging. I have not had the funds or the opportunity to pursue a higher education so I learn everywhere I can. Had I achieved that goal, I would have chosen to be a teacher.

As you know I don’t normally re-blog though this post stirred something in me. I value education and good teaching. Not all teachers are good but a great deal are and so very under appreciated. It’s like any profession; you get some good and some that should find other work. But here is my comment on that post:

When they celebrate teachers the way they do actors, musicians and football players, the world will be right and proper. Someone taught them all those things. They are our front line and should be paid like doctors and lawyers. I have always felt that way and it bothers me that no one seems to get it. I’ll get off the soap box now.

Dr. French suggested I not get off the soapbox, rather post on it. So I’m looking for a bigger soapbox. I feel VERY strongly that the teaching profession is undervalued and as a result, we are not getting the quality of teachers we should have nor are we keeping those that inspire and challenge our children.

My children were bored out of their minds in school. One teacher complained that my daughter was growing books in her desk because each time she took one away, my daughter came up with another to stick inside the textbook she had already read the first week of school. My son had to go into gifted classes, when they were available, to be challenged enough not to yawn through school.

Teachers are often struggling with the same bureaucratic nonsense to which other professions are subjected. It’s not their fault they aren’t allowed to push a little harder. As a responsible parent, the best I could do was provide them with any book available and a public library to feed their curious minds. They had to be taught how to learn on their own as much as from school.

There are many ways to teach and I applaud and appreciate them all. Those who write books were taught how to do that and I buy books to keep them coming. To me, a good day is a day I learn something new. I have a teacher to thank for that and I did. Maybe one day I’ll post the letter I wrote to her.

I had your blog page open already to keep reading as time permitted. Now I see what you are talking about. Thank you. Not sure the first message went through. I’ll pop over shortly. Not sure how it works. 🙂 Marlene

Heartfelt thanks for honoring teachers today, Marlene! It was such an honor to teach and inspire my students for 35 happy years. What a delight to see the world through the eyes of my young students! Becoming a teacher was truly a dream-come-true for me. Several of my students went on to become teachers… so it felt like a complete circle of love! I’m so grateful that so many former students continue to keep in touch with me. Retirement brings special, unexpected joys, but I will always miss the joys of teaching! ♡

Thank you so much for your years of service. We rely on teachers even as much as our military. People like you who love teaching make all the difference. There are many ways of teaching other than the class room. That’s how I did it. I’m sure you are still teaching in ways not so obvious.

Dawn, thank you for 35 years of teaching our children! I am so grateful for people like you, who truly love the profession and were glad to take on the challenges of teaching and turn it into a happy, rewarding story of successes!

Thank you for your kind words, Crystal! I am filled with gratitude for the teachers who inspired me early on. It was truly an honor to inspire and mentor others throughout my career. It was such a blessing to see the world through the eyes of my young students each day!
Warm hugs, Crystal! ♡

I agree, Marlene. Teachers are undervalued and underpaid. Further, they’re now expected to supplement classroom materials from there own paychecks and to act as counselor, babysitter, moderator and a host of other issues as parents seem to hold them accountable for EVERYTHING. It’s so unfair. Like your children, my boys were often bored in school. My youngest son gets the most pleasure from volunteering for Key Club, a service club derivative of Kiwanis and his Leadership class. Both require a lot of extracurricular hours, but it’s where he is learning the most, skills that will serve him into the future.

I liked the philosophy of Maria Montessori where you “go with the child” and where older children teach the younger ones and learn themselves along the way. The boys pre-school was rich in cultural experiences from around the world, music, art, math, language and a healthy dose of playground time. If one of the children acted out, she sent them outside to circle the playground on a tricycle. She new they needed to move. The classroom had a peace table. You went there to resolve your problems. Sadly, Montessori stops at a very young age. I wish we could model all of our classrooms this way, and like you, I wish we could give teachers the respect they deserve.

Great post, from a good heart. Thanks for letting me jump on my own soapbox. Many of my friends are teachers, too.

I loved the idea of the Montessori Schools. I so wanted something like that for my children but funds were just not there nor permission from my husband for anything other than public education. He was a member of Key club in High School. I had forgotten about that. The kids inherited his intelligence. I gave them the kind gene. 🙂 My sister had a teacher that set her at a separate table when she was feeling out of control and gave her clay. She’s ADHD, still, and the clay would calm her so she could join the group again. Better than the drugs they push now. I am happy to have your soapbox along side my own here. I was leaving room for it. 🙂

Marlene, I’m certain your children inherited plenty from you, including their smarts. Please don’t sell yourself short. You are both wise and kind, smart and experienced.

When my older son struggled in school, only one of his teachers understood ways to help. We donated “fidgets” to the classrooms in our tenure there so that restless children had something to do with their hands. We also donated seat pads that were textured and required some energy to keep up right. It was yet another way to express and receive sensory input. One of the biggest hits with teachers and kids alike: weighted lap pads. We have so much to do to get back to a healthier, happier and more productive classroom.

I never thought about the fidget’s for special needs. My 80 year old friend makes fidget quilts for Alzheimer’s care units. I wonder if they were weighted if that would help more? Our educational system is pretty sorry but there are many out there trying hard and giving it their all. Then there are the~others. 😦 My sister had ONE good teacher to help her with the ADHD. She left school at 16 but finished and went to college as an adult.

I so agree with you Marlene, teachers do a wonderful job in ever difficult circumstances.. And do not get the praise they deserve.. So many teachers these days are under government pressure to deliver statistics so push their students hard..
And I have nothing but admiration to anyone who take up this profession.

I have a wonderful teacher to thank when I was 12 and went to secondary school for girls.. the secondary should tell you I failed my 11 plus exam.. You can find more on this exam if you google it.. It was then in place when I was in school..

She took me under her wing and introduced me to the love of books and she mentored me to help me develop my spelling and reading.. Her name was Mrs Woodhouse.. a very kind lady who was near retirement age when I was in school.. I was so sad to learn a yr after she did retire she passed away..

Thank you for this tribute to teachers… and thank you so much for sharing xxx
love Sue xxx

Thank you so much for climbing on the soap box with me. It’s a broken system world wide. We need to educate the whole person, not just the part that someone says will show validation for funds. Good teachers are out there and they get no Emmy’s or Oscar’s. It’s just not right.

I have very strong views on education Marlene – thirty plus years in the Steiner School system will do that to you. I often jump on my soap box and let rip about the modern ‘education’ system. And helicopter parenting. And corporations buying slaves for their systems……. And not least the total lack of understanding about what a child is and needs to grow into a responsible, caring, free adult. We live in a modern version of the dark ages really – only a new world order will change anything. My wish for the world is that people would have a bigger view on what life is all about.

I agree with you 100%. Thanks for getting on the soap box with me. Why is no one listening? My education was spotty and erratic which has made life so much harder. I would have loved a better one but maybe next time around. My daughter is taking her first Japanese language class tonight as a precursor to pursuing the degree she needs for promotion. One class at a time.

The first thing I wanted to say to you was, thank you for your years of service. I got a little distracted there but your service in educating your students benefits the whole globe. It needs to be lauded to the highest order. That teachers are receiving such a pitiful income, rubs me raw. It’s hard work and obviously a thankless job. You deserve combat pay. 🙂 My daughter has some interesting observations on public education. We are being programmed by a system to be silent, compliant worker bees. That’s a whole other post. You were going against a bad system that is definitely archaic. I so agree. I could write on this for days.

Pauline, 30 years teaching? Well, whatever you were doing for 30 years, thank you so much! It’s no surprise you have such a tolerant, caring heart. You are the perfect person for children and how lucky they were to have you in their lives. ❤

That’s good to know. We sometimes see teacher of the year at some schools but very seldom do they get the recognition for the effort they put in here. Ours get long holidays but they are unpaid. Often they give of their personal time to do justice to their students. I had one of those English teachers too. Thank goodness. Thanks for stopping by.

Today, I write. Poetry, prose, and anything else that comes to mind. Those teachers who taught me to read and write, are the ones I appreciate the most. My first grade teacher, Mrs. Sloan, on the last day of school, walked up and down the aisles between the desks, holding a wrapped present. Imagine my surprise when she stopped in front of my desk and lay it down in front of me. It was a book about birds. Inside she had written, “Karen, I hope that you will always love to read.”

What a wonderful teacher you had. I had some good, some that tried hard and one or two that should have been out looking for other work. I had one that really inspired me. But I know how hard most of them work and their dedication. It’s to those teachers I salute. Reading is what saved my life. Thanks Karen, for stopping by.

Nice post, Marlene! Having homeschooled our kids, I can imagine how hard being a teacher must be. I had only two kids, and was plenty challenged!
Learning is so much more fun when you have a wonderful teacher! 🙂

Homeschooling is very often a better alternative than what most kids face today. Teachers are restricted by regulations and so many have lost heart. Some never had any. I had some very bad teachers and some that saved my life. Homeschooling wasn’t as acceptable when my kids were young and their dad would not have gone along with it. My education was too limited to do an effective job of it. Thanks for stopping by.

I can assure you Marlene that a “formal” education or college degree is not the only thing that matters for homeschooling. I didn’t get to go to college until I was in my late 40s.
I believe that being curious, willing to explore things from many angles and if not succeeding to try again, encourage learning.
Did you know that you can take classes at the college up the street from you for almost free? If you audit, you don’t have to worry about grades. They offer lots of different subjects, including German!
But either way, I’ve met plenty of people with advanced degrees who weren’t always that smart outside their specialty! 😉

Yes, I was aware of the classes, just can’t seem to catch my breath. I’ll tell you Thursday what’s coming next. I know what you mean about those with degrees not being smart in other areas. Guess we all have our special gifts.

Marlene! What a wonderful post. I, too, admire Charles French. He is a fine teacher and writer, and his words have the same effect on me; uplifting and full of learning. Thank you for thanking teachers. As one, I so appreciate your words. Keep posting, as you have terrific things to say. -Jennie-

Yes, I do, to answer your question. My high school French teacher, Mrs. Fleming, was simply awesome. She saw something in me and encouraged me to apply to be an exchange student; long story short, I traveled to Brazil when I was 17 and it changed my life. This box is too short to list the ways, but suffice it to say, I never saw the world the same again, and it was a much-appreciated lesson I’ve never forgotten. My daughter is an IA and through working in three classrooms and being assigned to a special needs child, is learning what it means to be a teacher (as well as an IA). This will determine whether she chooses teaching as a profession (and so far, I don’t disagree that she is leaning against). Thank you for a wonderful, appreciation-filled post for those who help so much during our formative years. 🙂

You have moved me to action. I just pulled out my HS yearbook to see the face of my favorite teacher, Gloria Thorpe, 11th grade english. Tough and demanding, she made me do my best AND I still think of her when I compose a sentence or when I read The Great Gatsby.
I will try to track her down!
Thank you for this excellent post!

LOL.. to be honest Marlene.. The Super moon left me feeling great.. 🙂 I have achieved a lot this weekend.. So shuuussh don’t go shouting too loud, Don’t want the man in the Moon to hear. 😉
good to know you are recovering your energies Marlene 🙂

One piece again today. Felt the shift last night. 🙂 Now to spend a little time writing and sewing. It’s still raining out there but the winds are back to normal. They were not as bad here as predicted. Lot’s of rain though.

The wind picked up here today.. And I have started a knitting project too.. So plenty indoor activity to keep me going on wet days .. 🙂 Plus I keep promising myself to get out my paints.. but find myself here on WP catching up more often.. 🙂 But where else can you find such great company!! And I love our instant chats Marlene.. 🙂 And no landland telephone costs hehe.. 🙂

I’m actually closer to the people online than to those that live around me. Sad in a way. Yes, it’s nice to have rainy day projects. I have just finished a little quilt panel and ready to start a few more for gifts. Lots of hand work available to be done while I watch the TV. It’s so dark out with the rain. I love that we don’t have to pay phone costs to talk at such a distance. So many are set against technology. I love it. 🙂 You are a very good painter. Looking forward to seeing your next project.

Yes these dark nights are ideal for sitting watching tv while sewing.. Luckily if the pattern I choose isnt too hard I can watch and knit at the same time.. 🙂 And my hubby is often amazed saying how do you do three things at once.. Knit, watch tv and hold a conversation haha.. xxx And thank you for that lovely compliment x

Oh, geez, I had no idea there was such a day. Maybe just in America. One thing I know for sure, most of our schools are in way better shape than some in Washington DC. No kidding! I saw a story on 60 minutes. The place was practically derelict but kids still had to go there. I don’t know for sure, but I think our teachers make a better wage than in America. They don’t get rich but pretty decent. There were actually 3 teachers living on our block from my Junior high school (grade 7-9 in Canada) and my grade school (K – 6) principle lived right across the lane and only just moved a couple of years ago. My brother said their house was like a time capsule, totally 1970’s…ha! He still lives in the house we grew up in so helped Mr Traynor move some stuff.
Any who, one teacher that I really enjoyed was Mr McFarlane in grade 6. He laughed at my jokes and also Mr Grill, he taught math but also coached Jr High Basketball. What a good guy. School for me was 37 years ago, so I can’t really remember many names. It’s a tougher job now I think. Kids apparently show up hungry and perhaps there’s less parental guidance at home now. We wouldn’t have dared to even think about back talk for fear of a call home. I also tend to think, a fair number of little people have no idea how to exercise their “inside voice” but then again, usually the parent of these kids are loud and annoying too, so go figure. Teachers are really behind the 8 ball, I feel for them.

I’m sure there are major differences between our educational systems. I know there are dedicated and caring teachers here who go unrecognized. Most are fighting an antiquated system. I didn’t know there was such a day either but since we are raising a society of permissiveness, teachers are having a harder time than ever. I feel for them too. I hated sending my kids to school. They were awful back then and worse now. That’s why I bought so many books. Figured if I could teach my kids to learn on their own, they were ahead of the game. It worked. They read and learn something new all the time. They were disciplined and learned self discipline. That’s a lot of what isn’t being taught these days. Sad. Glad you had time for a visit. Miss you.

Great topic, Marlene! And good for you, for using books to bolster what your kids got at school. I, too, had parent-teacher conferences when the teachers complained that Tara had personal books tucked inside school books. Tara’s favourite teacher in all of 1st-8th grade said, “I hate to say anything negative about reading, but Tara doesn’t need any more reading practice, and rather needs to pay attention and do what the rest of the class is doing.” It’s the same old story: bored smart kid.

I adored so many of my teachers. The really tough ones, the sweet pushovers, the ones who told us stories and the ones who explained why we should learn what we didn’t want to learn. I am (very late) sending out my Christmas letters, and noticed on my list today that there are three high school teachers on my mailing list. I hope that they realize the reason I stay in touch is because I remain grateful for the impact they had on my life. I even have a cousin who teaches, and I have never thanked her for doing that work! I will remedy that error because of your post.

You are going way back there, Crystal! I’ll have to tell you the story of my favorite teacher when I made contact with her when I see you next time. I have moved too many times to know where any of mine are and they are probably all gone by now. 😦 Some taught well, others, not so much. I always wanted to teach. Maybe in my next life I’ll keep the men out of my life and teach the kids. 🙂